Bread and Circusses
by T'Kerstin
Summary: Some additions I thought are necessary Slightly slashy
1. Chapter 1

McCoy was watching Spock carefully. The Vulcan was testing the bars for the 15th time, trying to get out of the cell. McCoy knew that Spock was desperately trying to save Jim, who was held prisoner somewhere else. Knowing Jim, he was probably in more danger than either McCoy or Spock. But even as he knew all of that, he couldn't stop teasing Spock a bit. It was just the way it worked between the two of them.  
"Angry, Mr. Spock? Or frustrated, perhaps?" he asked him.  
"Such emotions are foreign to me, doctor. I'm merely testing the strength of the door," Spock answered. _Jim is in danger. I have to get to him_, was what he really wanted to say. But he didn't want to admit to the doctor what really was going on inside his head.  
_Yeah. Sure_. McCoy thought before he answered, smiling knowingly: "For the fifteenth time."  
That was when Spock started feeling where the bars met the wall. He barely heard McCoy saying his name. Only realized McCoy was still there when McCoy was standing right next to him.  
McCoy wasn't smiling anymore when he tried another strategy to get the man to talk about the real reason he was so stubbornly trying to escape: "Spock, I know we've had our disagreements. Maybe they're jokes, I don't know. As Jim says, we're not often sure ourselves sometimes, but what I'm trying to say is-"  
"Doctor, I am seeking a means of escape. Will you please be brief?" Spock interrupted him.  
"Well, what I'm trying to say is that you saved my life in the arena." _I could be brief if you'd just let me finish, you green-blooded bastard._  
"Yes, that's quite true." Spock answered him.  
"I'm trying to thank you, you pointed-eared hobgoblin!"  
"Oh, yes, you humans have that emotional need to express gratitude. You're welcome, I believe, is the correct response," Spock answered while he crossed to check out the bars on the other side of the cell. McCoy followed him, intending to push further.  
"However, doctor, you must remember that I am entirely motivated by logic," Spock continued before McCoy could say anything.  
He starts crouching down, testing the bars, again.  
"The loss of our ship's surgeon, whatever I may think of his relative skill, would mean a reduction in the efficiency of the Enterprise-"  
This time McCoy didn't let him finish. and pushed him up against the wall. He had the feeling that he finally had Spock where he wanted him to be. Still, he hated, what he was about to say next. It would hurt the Vulcan, who, after all, had a heart and emotions. No matter how many times he denied it.  
"Do you know why you're not afraid to die, Spock? You're more afraid of living." When it became clear, that Spock wouldn't say anything to that, he pressed further: "Each day you stay alive is just one more day you might slip and let your human half peek out."  
Spock looks away. He looks as uncomfortable as a Vulcan can look. But he still doesn't say anything. All he can think of is, that Jim is probably in danger while he himself is unable to help him._ Please, Doctor, be quiet. You worry about Jim, too. I know that._  
At least McCoy didn't say anything. He just began to grin at him.  
"That's it, isn't it? Insecurity. Why, you wouldn't know what to do with a genuine warm, decent feeling." Well, Spock shouldn't have gotten his hopes up. When it came to him, McCoy rarely shut up. Jim sometimes succeeded when McCoy went too far, but Jim wasn't here, and that was the problem.  
_I am insecure about what Jim is feeling_. Spock didn't say that, though. Instead he took a breath, turned to the CMO, and said: "Really, Doctor?"  
_Finally. That's as close to 'I love Jim' as it's gonna get when he's talking to me. What are they doing to him anyway?_ McCoy thought. "I know... I'm worried about Jim, too," he said, softer this time.

Suddenly the lights went out for a few seconds. McCoy hoped this had something to do with Jim trying to escape. When the lights went back on, however, there was no Jim.  
A few seconds later he saw him running to their cell, carrying a gun in his hand. Jim seemed unhurt, but was followed by guards. McCoy saw Spock relax once he saw that Jim was unhurt and moving. Jim shot the door open.  
"What happened, Jim?" McCoy asked, knowing this was the question Spock wanted to ask as well, but that his Vulcan control somehow hindered him to do just that. At least, in front of so many witnesses.  
"They... threw me a few curves, no time to explain." Jim was right about the last part. He hadn't even finished the sentence when a few guards came in, shooting at them. They escaped with a little help from Merik, who threw the communicator at them.  
The three of them beamed up. Once on the ship everything went back to normal. Jim praised Scotty's actions with the electricity. Uhura showed them why she was the communications Officer. She had read between the lines, and recognized the suppressed religious group as the first Christians. None of them had been able to make that conclusion, even Spock. That fact alone was enough to make the day for McCoy._ It's nice that even the hobgoblin doesn't know everything, _he thought happily.  
Grinning, Jim left the bridge to get some rest. Spock was following on his heels. McCoy shared a knowing look with Uhura, who had her suspicions, too. _Well, she's the communications Officer. It is her job to read between the lines. And there's a lot to read with these two._  
Smiling McCoy went back to Sickbay. He was sure that the past experience had been the trigger these two needed to finally sort out their feelings for each other. McCoy didn't know what the Romans had done to Jim, but he knew what they had done to Spock. And that alone should be enough for the two of them to talk about their feelings. McCoy had seen how Jim had looked at Spock. There had been understanding in Jim's eyes. Understanding for what Spock had gone through. How Jim had figured that out, was a mystery to McCoy, though. But they had always had this silent understanding between them. Most often it showed to outsiders when they finished each others sentences. But more often than not they exchanged glances, and knew what the other was thinking right at that moment.

Spock found Jim in his favorite spot on the ship. It was the most quiet place on the ship, and it had large window with a great view on the stars. And Jim loved to look at the stars. Everyone on the ship knew that. But Spock was the only one who knew that Jim always went there when he wanted to be alone. Just like Jim had seen the pain in his eyes, Spock had seen in Jim's eyes that what had happened to him, hadn't been as harmless as he had wanted McCoy and Spock to believe. It was only because of the lack of time that Spock hadn't asked questions on the planet. But they had time now. And nothing would stop him from asking questions now.  
"Jim. What have they done to you?"  
"You don't really want to know. You're still struggling with what they have done to you," Jim answered, but he turned around. Which meant that Spock's presence wasn't unwelcome.  
"I was unable to escape, and help you."  
"I figured as much. But you couldn't have done anything." Jim nodded. That was exactly what Jim had imagined. He felt pity for McCoy who had been imprisoned with a worried Vulcan.  
Spock raised an eyebrow, and waited until Jim continued his story, which he would, eventually.  
"They were going to execute me when Scotty pulled his little trick with the electricity," Jim finally said.  
Spock put a hand on Jim's arm. Encouraged, when Jim didn't pull back, he finally was able to say what had been on his mind since he was trying to get out of the cell: "While I was in the cell I came to realize that I wish for more than friendship between us."  
"You mean that you love me, too?" Jim asked, not daring to hope that his dreams would finally come true.  
Spock nodded. Jim smiled, and came closer, his eyes asking for permission to do so. Spock gave him that permission. When Jim couldn't get any closer, he leaned forward, and kissed Spock. He was was ready to pull back, should Spock not want this, but Spock pulled him closer.  
"I'll make sure nothing can happen to you in the future," Spock told him.


	2. Author's note

**I might be doing more like this when I find the right inspiration and time. But I hope you enjoyed this one.**


End file.
